Get a Jump on the Flu Season at Your Neighborhood Ralphs and Food 4 Less Pharmacy
Ralphs and Food 4 Less Pharmacies Offer Customers Easy and Affordable Seasonal Flu Vaccinations
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Now that summer is over and school is back in session, it's time to start preparing for cooler weather and the potential flu season by getting vaccinated against the seasonal influenza virus at your neighborhood Ralphs and Food 4 Less Pharmacies.
Ralphs and Food 4 Less have already begun vaccinating patients and will continue to offer a convenient, easy and affordable way to get protected this flu season at 93 in-store pharmacy locations throughout Southern California.
Ralphs and Food 4 Less are offering the seasonal flu vaccines on a "walk-in" basis at most stores. The flu shots will be administered by Ralphs' and Food 4 Less' own Certified Immunizing Pharmacists for $25 per vaccine on an ongoing basis throughout the flu season or while supplies last. FluMist is also available at select Ralphs and Food 4 Less Pharmacies.
No appointment is necessary at most Ralphs and Food 4 Less Pharmacy locations. However, customers are encouraged to call their local Ralphs or Food 4 Less Pharmacy for the days and times when an immunizing pharmacist is on duty. Ralphs and Food 4 Less will also be offering flu shot clinics at selected non-pharmacy stores after September 15, 2009.
"A flu shot administered at a Ralphs or Food 4 Less Pharmacy is a convenient, affordable option," said Rebecca Cupp, Director of Pharmacy for Ralphs and Food 4 Less. "Our seasonal flu shot program is yet another way of helping our customers with easy, accessible and affordable health services - particularly when they need it most. Customers rely on our team of expert Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians who provide professional counsel and service in a convenient, friendly environment."
In addition to providing seasonal flu vaccines, Ralphs and Food 4 Less are working with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and state and local health officials to obtain the vaccine to combat the novel H1N1 ("Swine Flu") virus. As a part of their pandemic planning and seasonal readiness, Ralphs is actively building inventories of key items for the prevention and treatment of influenza.
Public health officials are encouraging Americans to receive their seasonal influenza immunizations every year. The flu is a very contagious illness that strikes millions of Americans, resulting in more than 40 million workdays lost and 30 million physician visits annually. According to the CDC, everyone should get a seasonal flu shot as soon as the vaccine becomes available and if possible, before November. The flu season typically peaks from late November through March in the United States. Therefore, the best time to get a flu shot is now.
Many health experts recommend yearly flu shots for everyone 50 years of age or older, anyone who has a serious health problem, anyone whose immune system is weakened, pregnant women, children and adolescents from 6 months to 19 years old.
The CDC also recommends seasonal flu shots for all health care professionals, students and staff at schools to prevent outbreaks, and virtually anyone who wants to reduce their chance of catching the flu or passing it to others.
Ralphs and Food 4 Less Pharmacies offer customers the convenience of having their prescriptions filled while they shop for groceries. Among the many services offered are adult and adolescent immunizations for Hepatitis A and B, tetanus, meningitis, cervical cancer, pneumonia, Zostavax(R) (herpes zoster) and flu; customized medication reviews: memory screenings; smoking cessation; and cholesterol screenings. Free blood pressure readings are also available.
Most Ralphs and Food 4 Less Pharmacies are open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekends. (Check your local Ralphs or Food 4 Less Pharmacy for hours.) Customers can call 1-888-437-3496 for more information about pharmacy locations or upcoming flu shot clinics.
Ralphs and Food 4 Less are divisions of The Kroger Co., (NYSE: KR), one of the nation's largest food retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ralphs and Food 4 Less operate more than 400 supermarkets in California, Nevada, Illinois and Indiana under the Ralphs, Food 4 Less and Foods Co banners from their headquarters in Los Angeles. For more information, please visit our websites at www.ralphs.com or www.food4less.net.
